What is CAD Customization and Design Automation

Software for computer-aided design is among the most well-liked and often employed engineering tools on the market. The majority of these CAD programs were created to handle more diverse fields including mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electronics, etc.

The majority of these CAD systems have started to provide general tools for specific design objectives in the last ten years, for example, sheet metal design, mold design, etc. Although there are more generic tools available, it is impossible to predict what each individual user will find helpful for completing highly specific tasks.

Since the outset, it has been possible to customize CAD items, challenging the saying “One Size Fits All.” Additionally, industry-specific CAD packages were created. However, maintaining numerous CAD products increased the company’s overhead expenses. To provide a comprehensive solution, larger products have added domain-specific workbenches/add-ons. 

The businesses who create these massive CAD products are aware that they do not perfectly fit every situation and are designed for more general market situations. The designer believes that there are enough aspects that are lacking from the product that he would want to see in order to save time and money. The majority of businesses who create these products are aware that they cannot offer customized functionality for every sector and user type.

In design automation, process automation, or integration with other technologies, organizations tend to favor CAD customization.

By comprehending its customers’ engineering processes, utilizing 3D CAD technology, knowledge management processes, and automation technology employing effective algorithms and suitable technical tools, CADVision addresses numerous automation difficulties that clients across the world confront.

Understanding the architecture of diverse CAD has been made easier by our experience creating a unique geometric kernel. By maintaining consistency and preventing mistakes, our solutions not only assist customers save a great deal of time but also help them improve the quality of their design process overall.

Customers now expect design engineers to complete any requested adjustments or ideas faster due to their increased sophistication.

In order to complete a specific task, CADVision has also created standalone applications that are integrated with the CAD program. Customers can link applications and automate necessary activities with the aid of CAD integration.

The staff of skilled experts at CADVision is knowledgeable in SolidEdge SDK, SolidWorks SDK, AutoCAD ObjectARX, CATIA CAA, and CATIA VBA, among other programs. Over the years, CADvision has successfully completed numerous projects using the aforementioned tools and assisted its clients in realizing the advantages of CAD Customization.

VARIANTS OF CAD CUSTOMIZATION

Perhaps the quickest and most cost-effective option to meet a company’s unique needs is to customize an existing CAD. The process of CAD customization includes creating tools or add-ons for the software. Although the majority of customizations seem straightforward to the end user, it takes a lot of work to implement the desired behavior and make it appear straightforward.

Complexity-based classification

The traditional system of classifying tasks still applies to CAD. Two categories of CAD customization exist:

Basic This includes making adjustable menus, rudimentary scripts, symbol libraries, shortcuts, etc.

Advanced – This calls for an understanding of user interfaces, data structures, and programming languages. This may frequently need to communicate with the geometric interfaces that the CAD tool exposes.

Utilization-based classification:

CAD customization is the process of accomplishing a specific set of task automation for increasing productivity and quality while removing needless errors to free up the designer’s time to concentrate on tackling actual design-related difficulties and shorten lead times.

Applications for CAD Automation are created utilizing API programming as add-ons to commercial CAD platforms. Automating routine tasks that call for rule-based judgment is thought to be desirable. By intelligently extracting data, applying rules, making judgments, and performing activities automatically, these custom applications enhance quality and lower costs.

We can broadly divide automation into two types

This entails locating repetitive design actions and chores that demand numerous mouse clicks and automating them. Engineers may now concentrate on high-level design rather than the specifics of drawing technology thanks to this.

The design lifecycle must be understood, and supporting procedures must be automated based on predetermined principles. As it integrates with other programs, it lessens human error and maintains consistency in behavior.

Automation Is Driven by Customization

Numerous benefits can be attained when CAD customization and design automation are combined with engineering applications. With the use of CAD customization, drawings and designs for mechanical parts may be produced with extreme accuracy.

This enables engineers to quickly fix any issues with the design that are found. To put it another way, the design can be altered to meet the requirements specified either before or after the CAD design is generated. Furthermore, when it comes to the use of CAD software, mechanical customization and production automation work hand in hand.

Benefits for Systems, Process, and Design

When CAD software is customized, businesses have the option to automate design, processes, and systems integration. For instance, CAD software can automate a lot of repetitive tasks. Businesses automate superfluous activities and save a tonne of time by customizing CAD functions. 

Engineers are free to concentrate on developing products without having to worry about support functions thanks to CAD customization. System integration, increased productivity, and a decrease in human error are all advantages of CAD customization. Additionally, CAD software automation and customization enhance growth in fields like the digital thread.

CAD customization service examples

• Process automation in design
• Automation of drafting
• API creation for macros and toolbar personalization
• Design of user interfaces

Process automation examples with custom CAD:

• Create a bill of materials for a product you’ve built with part lists.
• Without supervision, print bulk sheet jobs.
• Decide whether to assign steps using a computer or by hand.
• With few inputs, create logs for all operations used to create CAD models and drawings.
• Update the drawing tables.

How to Make a CAD Customization

• Make the following preparations before creating specialized CAD software
• Try your hand at a few easy sketches and watch a tutorial to learn how to use the instructions.
• Recognize the problems the user is having, the type of work he does, and the functionality he would want to have.
• Find the most efficient method to do the task by examining the customizing tools that are accessible.
• For customization to be possible, a thorough comprehension of the function library is a requirement.
• Use software engineering planning techniques to organize the creation of the specialized system.

The majority of CAD systems offer the two following mechanisms:

Record-Edit-Play for VB code or macros

VBA, or Visual Basic Applications, is the name of Microsoft’s event-driven programming language. Additionally, it enables integration with other VBA-using programs. It’s simple to understand and use VBA when customizing CAD software. Application prototypes can be made by developers, and immediate design input is available. VBA offers a very effective method for modifying CAD models and communicating information with other programs.

Utilize toolkits or open APIs to create an add-on.

Making use of open-source API and toolkits, add-ons can be created for CAD software as an additional customization option. An API implementation can be created by using a developer toolkit. These days, a lot of APIs are open-source, which greatly streamlines the process.

Do you have any requirements for CAD Design and customization, feel free to reach out at info@shalindesigns.com or Contact us.